In its present state, the microwave oven is a dismantled machine with its upper body apart and the inner circuitry all visible. Thusly, her reaction seems absolutely justified to me when she says – “I want this to be fixed in an hour. I don’t know how?” and the only response I dare to come up with is “Ok wifey”.

After experimenting with all my jugadu skills to try and make it work for about a week now, I decided to surrender and get an expert to look into the matter instead.

(I had already booked an expert a day before to visit and fix the appliance)

It took me 10 minutes after Google introduced me to this on-demand service agency and I was on a call with the relationship manager to educate myself with the booking process and other details. Finding my inner self satisfied with the responses from the other end, I installed the app on my Android and booked a technician to visit my place for the Sunday afternoon.

There he arrived at 12.10 PM, looking at me and trying to learn if I possess any qualification good enough to open the appliance and if I understood the circuit. It was not long enough that he established of me being a complete novice to this and knew nothing but the timer to turn the machine ON.

The technician was gracious enough to help me with some homely hacks with the appliance and made it up and running after an hour of cleaning and uniting some circuits. As good as new.

At the luncheon –

Gazing over the appetizing platter as set for the lunch with Rosie auntie progressing towards freshly grilled mutton kebabs, makes me realize the ease with which I booked a technician, promptness at which my queries were addressed and the behavior of the expert who visited and fixed the issue.

Send me an expert on time who can fix the issue. Really, this is all I ever asked for.

I am sure many of us have been a victim of this untimely, unorganized, and unregulated section of availing these services locally. Be it an electrician, a plumber, a cook, a key maker for an instance and here they present us an alternative to book one at our convenience. This brings me to shout louder about my second savior of the weekend – Ok Sir!

What is it all about?

Ok Sir! is a 24 X 7 service based agency that brings vendors from diverse streams to provide customers with their day to day demands. Currently, OK Sir!, has its presence in the areas such as – events, healthcare, errands, housekeeping, travel tutor and professional services.

How does it work?

Register with your phone number – Browse services using your pin code – Select the category and the service – Pay for the service using coins – Expert booked.

The concept of payment works in terms of coins and 1 coin – Rs 500. The oven cleaning service required me to pay 1 coin for the same. The numbers of coins vary with the complexity of the service.

Things that I loved:

Booking process: It was very easy to book an appointment. Once you absorb the concept of paying in coins, you are all set and a few clicks away to book an expert. Happy!

Notifications: I was regularly updated over an SMS with regards to the entire process. First SMS Confirmed the booking followed by Details of the booking and Status of the booking and finally a Feedback call. Keep it up!

Technician behavior and expertise: He was an expert with a company ID card, was polite, was present around the committed time and my issue stands resolved. So, no complaints with that. Pronto!

Payments: With every service measured in coins, you know beforehand what you pay and makes complete sense to me. Satisfied!

The App is currently available at and for free downloads.

My ratings – 4.5 stars on 5, losing half a star on below counts –

With the current setup, it expects you to book a service at least a day in advance. I feel it would be a good addition if the services can be availed the same day.

If you discard your current number, you lose the coins as purchased because the registration process involves you cell phone number for authentication.

Final thoughts – I am very excited about the on-demand service segment flourishing in India as it allows instant gratification and optimizes efficiency. I feel they certainly have the potential to transform lives. Other factors that make me more confident of the upsurge of this segment include professionals relocating for work across cities, busy lives and not to forget the number of smart phone users in India increasing in a rampant manner.

I think we are moving towards an on-demand economy, freeing us from chores, unless of course if you enjoy doing chores.

8.30 PM, Sunday evening and Ganesh Visarjan songs at 20kHz play in the background while I pen down my today’s experience with some distinct on demand service providers that framed my weekend.

That’s how my to-do list gazed me at the start of the day…

(pending) FRESHH veggies

(pending) Chicken for the BBQ

(pending) Fruits for the special Russian salad (My wife had sent out an invite to Rosie auntie for a lunch today)

(pending) URGENT …Get a plumber to fix the issue (which I had been avoiding since last couple of weeks now)

(pending) URGENT …Get the microwave oven repaired (that suddenly decided not to work since the evening before)

A hardcore foodie and a person with a rare quality of having a notion on every other thing on planet earth is how I define auntie Rosie. Good crazy but crazy.

I outlined to try and test a few on demand service providers doing rounds on various advertisement channels to manage my to-do list for the weekend. To start with the mission, I selected an on demand service for my doze of veggies, chicken and fruits for the lunch (I have been using this app for quite some time now), a second app to book a plumber and third for the microwave oven cleaning/repair.

At the luncheon –

Food cooked, bar set, guests welcomed and here we were at the table eyeing for the mutton kebab rolls being served with an awesome aroma of the methi mutter malai running all over, and here is how I ended up happily promoting Grofers…

Rosie auntie – (Holding the mutton kebab in her hand before she sipped in her second pint) I just don’t get these apps? I mean why would you order something like veggies and fruits without even inspecting them? My Ramu sabjiwala is the best I bet…

“A 30 minute long weekly parade across the traffic choked sabji lane carrying 3 baskets stocked up and the rounds of bargaining is what I intend to avoid. That’s where these on demand services rescue me with quality that I appreciate. I am sure you will have a different view once you try them auntie.”

Rosie auntie – (Pondering on what to pick from the veg platter she continues..) I am sure the pricing must be very high then? And what if the quality is not optimum?

“Ohh no auntie, on the contrary, I could not find a major difference to mention when compared to the market price of the items that I order and these guys deliver me free for orders more than Rs. 250. With the hassle free return policy right at your door steps, it leaves me with no choice but to use the app at least twice a month.”

Rosie auntie – hmmm, so you all praises for them …Why don’t you download this app on my “new” Apple iphone 6 then? I’ll see if they live up to my expectations now that you have raised the bar even higher… (And yeah she was at her 4th pint now and the bar was definitely raised higher)

I gladly did that and added a customer to Grofers…

Of course, for the next 17 minutes she spoke of her new iphone 6 as gifted by her son that I was holding to download the Grofers app and yeah the Russian salad followed next…

Grofers?

It is a hyper local delivery company that offers a wide assortment of groceries, fruits & vegetables, cosmetics, electronics, bakery items, flowers and much more to order from a listed nearby store at the comfort of your home.

Why Grofers?

User interface – It is super easy to use. Not more than a dozen of taps on the app and it’s done. As easy as it appears.

Quality –This is another reason why I let them take care of my weekly supply of veggies, fruits, meat and what not, to dump into my cooling station.

Pricing – I found them to be absolutely cost efficient when compared to the prices of the items available locally.

Packaging – As it be a gift. I always go awwwww! every time I receive the Grofers delivery guy at my door. Neat, clean and has enough room for my stuff to breath.

Timely delivered at your doorsteps – Out of my experience of using Grofers for about 8 times till now, it did not take more than 40 minutes for the delivery guy to get hold of me.

Returns – They truly understand and stick to the promise of returns being hassle free. You can simply reject the delivery at your doorstep or ask for replacement, if you are not satisfied with any product.

Quick customer resolution team – It was just after I placed my first order, that I spoke to one of the guys in customer service to assure my inner self of the quality that I can expect. The person on the other end made sure, he explained every bit of the process and also took enough care to follow up later the same day.

The Grofers App is currently available at and for downloads.

My ratings – 4.5 stars on 5, losing half a star on below counts –

As a user, I would truly appreciate if I am kept informed of the items in my order that are not available(if any) instead of adjusting the same in the final bill at the time of delivery.

A re-schedule feature for deliveries, I feel is missing in the app and would be a good addition.

And really, that’s it. I cannot ask for more.

Going back to the lunch table, I winked eyes at my wife boasting myself on successfully completion of my 1st household pledge of getting her the best quality veggies, meat and fruits for the scrumptious lunch.

I will soon write about other exciting apps that rescued my Sunday and made it a smooth ride covering the remaining tasks as in the to-do list.

(pending) URGENT …Get a plumber to fix the issue (which I had been avoiding since couple of weeks now)

(pending) URGENT …Get the microwave oven repaired (that suddenly decided not to work the evening before)